Sitting at 1-5-1 many frustrated fans are left wondering why coaches and players around the team are now talking more about improvement and positive things when the results still aren’t there.

As a guy in my first month of watching Oiler games, I too have been very frustrated at times watching this squad and I haven’t been around for the last 7 years.

I get it.

FRUSTRATION MOUNTING

Many things need to be improved fast for this team to remain in contention and get to the level expected of them this season. One thing I can assure you is that no one is more frustrated than the coaching staff and players. Fans may disagree but losing is just awful for everyone.

As a player, sleeping after bad games is nearly impossible. You lay there replaying everything in your mind till all hours of the night. Few things are worse than having to watch video of horrible play after horrible play while the coach is ripping you in front of your peers.

There is nothing fun about answering the tough questions to the media or reading about how bad you are in the papers. It’s an awful feeling letting a fan base down when expectations are high.

You have to be mentally strong to play this game, but all those things weigh on a player and after a week or more of that kind of atmosphere, negativity can completely take over. If everyone can feel the mood of the dressing room start to sag, that is not good.

WHY SO POSITIVE?

After the first couple losses you saw some anger, some frustration, and the benching of a young star. After the last couple games you're starting to hear positive things or a focus on improvement from the team. When you watch the Pittsburgh game it may be hard to disagree.

Maybe it’s not recognizable but you see this all the time during losing skids. A flip flop of a coach’s message from negative to positive even though the only thing growing is in the loss column.

When player confidence is low the coaching staff has to read the dressing room and the body language of his players.

SEEN IT ALL BEFORE

I’ve been on good teams and I’ve been on terrible teams. Often times when you get on a win streak by the second or third game, instead of the coach remaining positive and buttering guys up he decides to use this opportunity to keep everyone level headed and tear into a few guys or focus on the things that need improvement.

Conversely, when a losing streak hits three or four games and the sky is falling, all of the sudden the coach is the happiest person in the world and you are thinking what the hell?

I think you are beginning to see the Coaching staff relaxing their tough stance of late. Eakins has to get these guys to feel good about themselves again while showing them the good things they have done to improve their play. Continuing to harp on the losses right now will only add to the stress of guys fighting the puck or thinking about mistakes.

I’m sure you have heard it before from players that they need to be reacting on the ice and not thinking. The minute you start to second guess yourself as a player you are in trouble.

ROLLER COASTER

This does not mean losing is acceptable. This does not mean that players and coaches are not as disgusted as you, the fan. It just means the coach has likely sensed that the yelling and tough love has exhausted itself for now and is having a more negative impact.

An 82 game season is full of emotional ups and downs and many times throughout the season the coach has to change the psyche of the dressing room.

I think this is one of those times. It’s up to the coach to get his players in the best possible mind set to win a hockey game. It doesn’t matter how, just win.

MAIL BAG

I would like to start a weekly Q & A piece on here. I love interacting with hockey minds and think it would be fun to provide some insight into certain questions you guys may have whether it’s Oiler related or just hockey related. Hit me up at brian@oilersnation.com or on twitter @briansutherby. Fire away and I will answer the best one’s in a weekly piece.

A Moose Jaw Warriors alumnus and veteran of 460 NHL games with the Capitals, Ducks and Stars—Sutherby is here to regale us with tales of the WJHC, life as an NHL player and much more from a Pro’s perspective. Co-Host's the Jason Gregor show on TSN1260 on Tuesday's from 3-5 and Coaches at www.proconnectionhockey.com
Twitter:@briansutherby

Sorry to hijack the thread. Why is TSN quoting a Shares blog. Its the stupidest rumour I've heard in a long time Yakcity + for Vanek/Miller. Why would MacT entertain trading the future for expiring contracts, and 10 million has to go the other way. So basically filling in the blanks, Hemsky and Dubby and Jones or Schultz.

yup, intensity seems to be lacking on this team year after year.
my hope is that Moroz and Khaira can step up in the next couple of years. they are exactly what this team needs!!

I was sure impressed with Khaira. He seems like the 'real deal'. He's two years from making a difference, but knowing there are some value (entry level) contracts on the horizon involving big bodies that can play gives me more optimism.

A true fan sticks with their club through wins AND losses! Yes, it is frustrating but bashing the Oilers doesn't help either. If you are not happy watching.... find a new team or just don't watch hockey!

This team needs some good news, and soon. The best case scenario would be for them to post a shutout or something close to it to put the trade rumours to rest for a new goaltender.

And as for the "mental pressure" for a professional player, it's got to be tough in today's NHL. Years ago, a player only had to ignore the local newspaper and the fans on the street. Now you have to try and tune out 24 hour sports networks, twitter feeds, blogs and everything in between.

My question is how aware is the average player of what these sources are saying about them (and the team) and what effect it has on them?

Cry me a river . Oilers ticket prices 4th highest in league from $201.01 to $272.74 , because as they put it "Heightened Expectations " . The paying fans should be livid considering this price increase and results rendered so far . You make that king of money and you should expect the fans to criticize when your not performing up to expectations that you payed dearly for .

Cry me a river . Oilers ticket prices 4th highest in league from $201.01 to $272.74 , because as they put it "Heightened Expectations " . The paying fans should be livid considering this price increase and results rendered so far . You make that king of money and you should expect the fans to criticize when your not performing up to expectations that you payed dearly for .

Not sure at what point I said fans shouldn't be mad or frustrated or have expectations. Also never said that "pressure" doesn't come with the territory?

Thinking however that just because someone makes a certain amount of money instantly makes them not have emotions or good days and bad is foolish.

One thing that would send "the required message". All fans stay home for the next home game. Every fan. 16k plus empty seats. Mr Katz would get the message. This is not acceptable.

Someone mentioned a few articles about Sheldon Souray being cancer, or Miller being cancer... Or Bryz. No offense, the cancer here is not any of those. The cancer here is Mr Lowe. Souray was absolutely mismanaged from outside observation. The sooner Mr Katz figures this out, the sooner this team turns around.

If you need further proof, I would just say take a look at how many coaching changes we've had. Painful. Yes, it's a GM call, but I could've made the drafting choices Tambo made. Lowe out Tam in. The jury is out on MacT, I happen to love Perron as a player, but 36 months down the road will decide if MacT was a good decision.

I would say Coach Roy was the coach we should've looked a lil closer at. Goaltending specialist and smart defensively. Our goals for isn't our issue. Our goals against is.

Facts are nobody gives a rip or cares enough to boycott the Oilers. We care so little that we'll continue to watch the Oilers blow it. Yes, even from Hawaii where I'm vacationing, I'll huddle around my ipad mini watching NHL Game Center toot out another loss.

I would love to read an honest breakdown of Lowe's tenur here as GM by one of these writers. That would be a good read.

what do ticket prices have to do with wins or losses? What are you suggesting here?

It has a lot to do with it . Chicago went up to a 57.12% increase this year ($313.18) because of , as they called it "a possible dynasty club " . I wonder what ours might be if we had a contender ? Toronto (the highest @ 368.60 ) went up because of they now have a "playoff team" . Isles because of playoffs jumped from $74.00 to $151.00 . L.A. dropped down to $126.00 because they did not reach finals last year . Does that answer your question more vividly ? Some of the lower ones . Blues 105.84 ,T.Bay 101.75 , Winn. (3rd highest) 276.69 , Anaheim 91.49 , Colorado 86.40 , Pho. 76.65 . All these fat increases in a lot of teams during a reduction of the cap .

If oilers seriously considered the swap, they need to literally go to hospital and get their brain checked. Two washed up over-the-hill UFA for an RFA number 1 pick forward, that'd be the worst trade in team history.

Not surprised oilers is on Miller's no trade list. Lowe has managed to get oilers on pretty much every NHL player's no trade list.

If oilers seriously considered the swap, they need to literally go to hospital and get their brain checked. Two washed up over-the-hill UFA for an RFA number 1 pick forward, that'd be the worst trade in team history.

Not surprised oilers is on Miller's no trade list. Lowe has managed to get oilers on pretty much every NHL player's no trade list.

Agree completely, although I'm not sure Miller and Vanek are washed up.

I'd try and get Lehner out of Ottawa or one of Anaheim's spare goaltenders.

Vanek is pretty much a lock to sign in Minnesota next season so I expect Buffalo will try and swing a deal with the Wild closer to the trade deadline when Minnesota can absorb his cap hit.

I would like to start a weekly Q & A piece on here. I love interacting with hockey minds and think it would be fun to provide some insight into certain questions you guys may have whether it’s Oiler related or just hockey related. Hit me up at brian@oilersnation.com or on twitter @briansutherby. Fire away and I will answer the best one’s in a weekly piece.

Can you also do a worst question/comment of the week just for sh*ts and giggles?

Schultz is my goat. Every couple shifts he makes a bad pass or misses receiving a pass, trips over blue line, watches an opponent park himself in front of the net or takes a good 3 seconds to wind up for that predictable lame wrist shot of his.